Photoflash lamp



Patented Mar. 24,

Michael J. Neumann-de Margittm vNew York,

N. Y., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, EastPittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 26,1940, Serial No. 315,741

7 claims.

This application is a continuation in part of my prior applications forimprovements in Flashlamps, Serial No. 298,276, filed Oct. 6,1939, and

A Serial No. 302,023, filed Oct. 30, 1939. The invention relates tolamps and especiallyA to photographic fiashlamps.

An object of -the invention is to provide an easily assembled containerfor a ashlamp that will not present a danger of broken glass in thetransportation, use or disposal thereof.

Another object of the invention is to providev a ashlamp that can beeasily transported in quantity and not be damaged by occasional joltsand jars.

Another -object of the invention is to provide a method for assemblingashlamps in quantity without expensive apparatus.

Other objects and advantagescf the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation oi a preferred embodiment of my iiashlamp.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view on lines II-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a modification of thedisclosure in Fig. 2.

ways be available. This ilashlamp comprises two dish-like members IIIand II, containing between their surfaces a combustible material I2,such as a film or fine wires of aluminum or magnesium, and an ignitingelement I3, which element may be a lament surrounded by a powder ofzir-` y ripheral edges I6 and I1 cemented or welded to- Fig. 4 is across-sectional view through means for welding the edges of the lamp. Y

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view through apparatus for sealing thelashlamp of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through a preferred apparatus formaking ilashlamps similar to Fig. l in quantity.

Fig. 'I is a top elevation of a portion of lamp strips of Fig. 6.

My invention concerns a ashlamp, and it is a special object of myinvention to provide a flashfthe" ` lamp that can withstand thejolts andjars such as it would be subject-to in a mans coat pocket.

Furthermore, it is another special object of my invention to provide aform of casing whereby several iiashlampsl may be carried in such pocketwithout unusual bulk. 1

I obtain these objects specically by forming the casing of my ashlampfrom a plastic material, especially cellulose' acetate. Whilecellugether. The two conductors I4 and I5 have Itwo exterior leads I8and I9 sealed through one'or more sides of the iiashlamp, and preferablyone side as disclosed.

` I prefer to indent the two sides I0 and II at a plurality of places,'so that an area 20 of the side I0 is connected to a similar area 2| ofthe other side of the lamp. These indentations not only strengthen thecasing but also prevent the combustible material from bunching in onepor-v tion of the casing. Suilicient heat or pressure applied at theseportions weld or stick these two sides together to maintain the lamp inlits desired shape and form. The casing has a combustion supporting gas,such as oxygen, the'ein at, below or above atmospheric pressure. In case the pressure desired is above atmospheric pressure, I prefer to bindthe peripheral edges I6 and I1 with a metal clamp 22 and to insert metaleyelets 23 through the areas of the indented portions 20 and 2i asdisclosed in Fig. 3.

In Fig.4 I have disclosed simple apparatus wherebyl the flashlamp casingmay be prepared for the nal sealing. The two sheets I9 and II have anedge inserted between two jaws 24 and per, althoughvarious other metalsmight be used.

Through this material are passageways Bland 9| containing a heatingmeans, such as an eleci tric wire or a passageway for steam. Theperiphgripon the plastic material which may be rather eral edges I6 andI1 of the plastic material are welded into a homogeneous vmass by thepressure and heat exerted by jaws 24 and 25. The near sides 24 and 25are relatively cool and keep a iluid between the jaws 21 and 28.

After the three edges of the lamp are welded about the combustiblematerial and igniting means, the lamp is preferably inserted in a de-Vice, such as that illustrated in Fig. 5. This device comprises abed-plate32 and an upper plate 33 clamped tightly together with acentral space therebetween slightly larger than the volume occupied bythe lamp. A port 34 extends through one of these plates, such as theupper one. At the further end is a heater 35, such as a passageway forsteam or the wire of an electric heater. This is located adjacent theopen end of the lamp. Also at this place are two arms 36 and 31extending through the casing in a position to clamp together the openend of the lamp adjacent the heater. Well-known means, such as bellows38, provide means for moving the arms 36 and 31 without the admission ofatmosphere to theinterior of the casing.

The front portion of the casing has preferably a. swinging door 39 withcompressible material 40, such as rubber, attached thereto, for makingan air-tightI closure of the two plates 32 and 33 by means of a locklever 4|, secured by a wing nut 42 to projecting lugs 43 of the casing.

The port 34 is connected to van exhausting machine and after the air hasbeen exhausted from the casing, oxygen is applied to the casing at thedesired pressure for filling the plastic lamp through open side 44.After oxygen has entered the plastic lamp, the arms 36 and 31 clamp theremaining open periphery of the lamp, the heater 35 is actuated and theremaining side is sealed. They heat is then turned oli and the sealedlamp removed from the casing.

For quantity production I preferably provide the apparatus illustratedin Fig. 6. This comprises the compartment D, having an oxygen supplyapplied thereto through a port 5I. Two rolls 52 and 53 of dat ribbonplastic material feed through two adjacent openings 55 and 56 of thecasing. These ribbons pass on opposite sides of -the former 51 havingthe desired interior contour of the finished lamp onv its oppositesides. Two dies 58 and 59 clamp down upon the plastic ribbon and -moldit into the desired shape by The plastic ribbon on the rolls 52 and 53may be already shaped as disclosed at 60 or 10 and the operation withinthe casing limited to the filling and sealing operation.' Theindentations 26 and 2| of Fig. 2 may be formed by the' jaws 64 and 65and the rivets 23 of Fig. 3 added within the casing of Fig. 6 orafterwards.

The shape of the casings in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 with their indentationscorresponds with that of the familiar wallie and the application of theterm waffle-shape" to these gures clearly visualizes to those skilled inthe art the indented sides of the casing. Such a shape, as previouslymentioned, could be produced by the apparatus in Fig. 6.

The lamp disclosed in my drawing is obviously a very convenient one tohandle in comparison with the present glass casingbulb of the commerciallashlamp. The particular materials and formation of the casing provide,however, a sufciently strong casing for the operation of the device andyet one which is simply and cheaply manufactured.

It is apparent, however, that various modifications can be made in theform of the device and the apparatus for manufacturing it, and also inthe steps of assembly specifically disclosed herein. Accordingly, Idesire only such limitations to be made upon the invention as arenecessitated by the spirit and scopeof the following claims.

I claim:

l. A flashlamp comprising two dish-shaped sections of light transmittingplastic material welded around the edges to one another, a filling ofcombustible material, an igniting device between said sections, andconductors for the igniting device sealed through the welded edges ofthe sections, said sections being Welded together at places intermediatethe welded edges.

2. The method of forming photoash lamps l which comprises feeding twoplastic ribbons into means of the pressure. These dies may be slight- 1yheated if desired. The dies are then lifted until the formed ribbonpasses to the next position, illustrated at 60, when the dies are againactuated. The two ribbons are directed toward one another and atposition 6|, the combustible material 62 and the igniting means 63 areinserted from the side of ,the ribbons. This may be done by hand throughmechanical connections sealed through the casing, but is preferably madeautomatic by utilizing any of the suitable arrangements used in packingfood, etc. in organic containers. The ribbons then pass through theheated jaws 64 andl65, which weld the two outside edges of the ribbonand also an indented transverse portion 66, which seals the lamp, thetransverse portion 61 at the forward end of the lamp having been weldedwhen the prior lamp was sealed. The lamp, in continuous ribbon form,passes through an outlet 68 of the casing, where the intermediateportions between the lamps are sheared off by means of knives 69.

In Fig. 7 I have disclosed an enlarged view of a portion of the ribbon,showing a portion 16 just prior to being filled with the combustiblematerial and igniting device, and also an adjacent portion 1|,disclosing the combustible material and igniting device insertedtherein. The dies 58 and 59, with the former 51, can place strengtheningribs 12 in the lamp sides if desired.

a compartment having a.' combustion supporting combustible material andan igniting device between the complementary sections and welding theedges of the complementary sections together. A

3. AA flashlamp comprising a casing having an igniting device therein,combustible material and a combustion-supporting gas intimatelyinterspersed with said material within said casing, said casing havingdish-shaped sides of light transmitting organic material sealed at edgesthereof, and said sides having'l indentations spaced from said edges,said indentations of each side being fastened to an opposing part of theother side.

4. A ashlamp comprising a casing having anA igniting device therein,combustible material and a combustion-supporting gasrintimatelyinterspersed with said material within said casing,

.said casing having dish-shaped sides of light transmitting organicmaterial with peripheral edges thereof secured together with apressureresisting seal, and said -sides having means encircled by saidmaterial and gas for reenforcing said sides one from the other atsurface portions spaced from said peripheral edges.

5. A ashlamp comprising two dish-shaped sections of light transmittingplastic material secured peripherally one to the other with apressure-resisting seal and forming va hollow-body n container, a fillerin said container comprising sure-resisting seal and forming a,hollow-body container, means ,spacedgggm the peripheries of the saidsections re'ci'onesection from the other at midnparts of said sections,a ller in said container comprising combustible material andcombustion-supporting gas under pressure intimately interspersed withsaid material,`V

an igniting device valso in said container and intimately associatedwith bothsaid g-as and material, and conductors for the igniting devicesealed through from exterior to interior of said container.

7. A flashlarnp comprising two dsheshaped sections of light transmittingplastic material secured peripherally one to the other withapressure-resisting seal and forming a hollow-body container, sa'idsections having opposed indentations at mid-parts thereof spaced fromthe peripheries With the indentations of one section engaging andsecured to the indentations of the other section, a ller in saidcontainer compris-- ing combustible' material and combustion-supportinggas under v.pressure intimately interspersed with said material, anigniting device also in said container and intimately associated withboth said gas 'and material, and conductors for the igniting devicesealed through from exterior to interior of said container.

MICHAEL J. NEUMANN DE MARGITTA.

